Endgame

How to spell endgame

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce endgame

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does endgame mean?

1. nounThe final stage of an extended process, contest, or strategy, or the ultimate goal being worked towards.
2. nounThe concluding phase of a chess game, when few pieces remain on the board.

Endgame in a sentence

• The negotiators finally reached the endgame after months of talks.

• The coach drilled the students on basic king and pawn endgame technique.

• Reducing costs was never the company's real endgame.

• She sacrificed a knight to simplify into a winning endgame.

Where does endgame come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This is a modern English compound built from two very old native words, both of Germanic origin. 'End' descends from Old English 'ende', meaning the boundary, conclusion, or furthest point of something, while 'game' comes from Old English 'gamen', which originally meant amusement, sport, or fun. The compound was first popularised in the world of chess, where it names the final phase of play once most pieces have been exchanged and only a few remain on the board. From that specialised meaning it broadened during the twentieth century into a general term for the closing stage of any contest, negotiation, or long campaign, and for the ultimate objective someone is steering towards. Because both halves are spelled exactly as they sound and join with no linking letter, the only real trap is remembering to write it as one solid word rather than two.

How the word is built

• end (final part)
• game (a contest or play); a transparent compound